Page 21 - Florida Sentinel 9-17-21

Health
It’s not always easy to tell which foods are safe to eat, espe- cially if you’re living with a chronic illness. Beets are gener- ally regarded as being healthy but some people may have ques- tions about including them in their diets. According to re- searchers, however, there are some key benefits to eating beets and even people with long-term illnesses such as diabetes should consider them.
The Benefits Of Adding Beets To Your Diet Beets are a great source of
antioxidants, vitamins, potas- sium, fiber, and a range of other nutrients that can be beneficial to those who eat them regularly.
Here are a few of them.
1. Regulation Of Glucose
And Insulin
Based on a recent study, it was shown that the phytochem- icals in beets can be helpful for regulating glucose and insulin in the body. It appears to be most effective if you have beets before or during the meal. The result is lower levels of glucose after eat- ing.
2. Lower Risk Of Chronic Illness
This benefit is associated with the high levels of antioxi- dants that beets have. Generally, antioxidants have been shown to help the body fight off chronic
illnesses that can be caused by inflammation.
A few of these diseases are heart disease and degenerative disorders. These antioxidants also help to reduce cell damage.
3. Reduced Likelihood Of Complications From Diabetes
If you’ve been wondering if beets are good for diabetics, this point will help. People with dia- betes can develop other compli- cations that affect their hearts, kidneys, and eyes. The antioxi- dants in beets may help to keep these issues from happening.
4. Lower Blood Pressure
Many people have an issue with high blood pressure. In some cases, diabetes and hyper- tension go hand in hand. There’s
more work to be done but stud- ies suggest that the nitrates found in beets can lower blood pressure in certain diabetics.
5. Lower Chance Of Nerve Damage
Another issue that can plague diabetics is nerve dam- age. This damage occurs because of the high glucose levels, fats, and triglycerides that are typi- cally associated with the illness.
According to recent studies, however, the alpha-lipoic acid found in beets can help to reduce your chance of having nerve damage. While researchers are still not completely sure how it happens, it’s possible that it has something to do with the nutri- ent’s antioxidant properties.
6. Improved Physical Performance
Since exercise is an impor- tant part of being healthy, it’s good to know that beets can help you to be more efficient when working out. Research suggests that the nutrients in beets im- prove the way muscles take up and handle oxygen. As a result,
your tolerance and durability improve.
The Best Ways To Eat Beets
It’s recommended that beets are consumed raw if you can manage it. That’s because some of the nutrients in beets are ad- versely affected by cooking.
As such, salads and juices are a great way to get the nutri- ents you need.
The next best thing is to steam or roast the beets. By doing that, you can add some flavor without significantly af- fecting the nutritive value. If you must cook the beets more thor- oughly, consider adding them to pasta dishes as well.
Given how nutritious beets are, it’s not surprising that health experts recommend in- cluding them in your regular diet.
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2021 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY FRIDAY PAGE 9-B